Mental Health Resources

At Laurier, you have access to a wide range of resources to promote and maintain good physical, emotional, and mental health. There are resources to help you in times of crisis, and resources to help you take a proactive approach to help protect you from mental illness, and to help you enjoy life to the fullest.

Remote Resources

Counselling Appointments in the Student Wellness Centre

These are difficult times, and the staff of the Student Wellness Centre are here to support you. Please reach out to us. We are happy to connect you with you remotely. We are now offering video counselling as well as counselling appointments by phone. Initial appointments will always be on the telephone, but if you are interested in video counselling, discuss it with your counsellor at your first appointment. Students will always have the option of telephone counselling instead.

To book an appointment on the Waterloo campus, call 519.884.0710 x3146 or on the Brantford campus, call 519.756.8228 x5803.

Virtual Counselling Options

Wellness Together Canada is an online service funded by the Government of Canada in response to the unprecedented rise in mental distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BounceBack is a free skill-building program offered through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress, and worry. Service is delivered over the phone with a coach and through on-line videos.

MindShift CBT from Anxiety Canada uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety.

Graduate Students: All graduate students have access to Empower Me confidential services available 24/7 1.844.741.6389

International Students: all international students have access to Keep.meSafe Student Support Program. Keep.meSafe is confidential and accessible 24/7. Access articles, tools, resources and a Keep.meSafe counsellor through the telephone chat and MY SSP app.

If you require immediate mental health assistance, please contact:

Here 24/7 1-844-437-3247crisis support and referrals (Waterloo Region)
Good2Talk 1-866-925-5454telephone counselling and referrals (Ontario-wide)
Mental Health Hotline: 1-866-531-2600
Crisis Text Line -- text “HOME” to 686868 (Canada-wide)

Finding Mental Health Support Outside Ontario

During these difficult times, it’s important to know how to access support wherever you are. If you are outside Ontario or outside Canada and are not sure how to find local resources, the following steps may be helpful:

In Canada, search "Canadian Mental Health Association" + your current city.
Check BeSafe to see if your area is covered (BeSafe covers all of Ontario and some other regions in Canada);
If you are in Canada or anywhere in the world, search ‘mental health support’ or ‘crisis support’ and the name of your city or region to find a list of local supports;
Remember that you can call the Student Wellness Centre on weekdays between 9 am and 4 pm. We are here to help.

We understand the current situation can create or exacerbate worry. We also believe we can support each other with our sense of community, kindness, compassion (for ourselves and others), as well as good common sense and great self-care.

Additional Links and Resources

I Am in Crisis

Waterloo

Call Here 24/7 at 1.844.Here.24.7 (1.844.437.3247);
Call Laurier's Special Constable Service at 519.885.3333 (Waterloo) or 519.756.8228 x3333 (Brantford);
Call 911; or
Go to the Emergency Department at Grand River Hospital (835 King Street West, Kitchener) to access the Grand River Hospital Crisis Services and Extended Assessment Unit for mental health crisis services.

SafeTALK training is available on campus, and many staff and volunteers have been trained.

Brantford

If you are suicidal or do not think you can keep yourself safe right now, call Here 247 at 1.844.437.3247, call the Special Constables Service at 519.756.8228 x5888, or call 911.
Crisis Line (24/7): 519.752.CARE (2273).
St. Leonard's Community Services: 519.754.0253.
Family Counselling Centre of Brant: 519.753.4173.

I Need Help

The Student Wellness Centre

The Student Wellness Centre provides counselling and mental health support to registered students. Mental health services at the Student Wellness Centre include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, using short-term, goal-directed counselling, crisis intervention, and crisis management. We offer a limited number of walk-in appointments for students who need immediate support. Call or drop in any time to schedule an appointment.

Accessible Learning

Accessible Learning is available to students who have a permanent or temporary disability. This includes full and part-time graduate and undergraduate students. ALC is committed to helping students with disabilities reach their full academic potential. By offering a variety of services and resources – and delivering them in a respectful, confidential and professional manner – we support and encourage students’ independence and self-determination. Students must registered with ALC to receive accommodations.

Additional Resources

I Want to Stay Well

Wellness Education

Wellness Education offers resources and a variety of programming led by peers and professionals to promote and encourage students at Laurier to make healthy choices and engage in healthy behaviours.

Peer Support

The Peer Support program aims to create a safe, inviting space where students can discuss student-life concerns with a trained peer supporter who can listen, validate, and refer. Peer Support is a collaboration of the Student Wellness Centre, Graduate Students’ Association, and Canadian Mental Health Association. The program is free, non-judgmental, and confidential. Registration is not required. Simply drop-in online to access our weekly support space for undergraduate or graduate students.

I Move My Mood

The Athletics Department and the Student Wellness Centre on the Waterloo campus have partnered to create I Move My Mood, an opportunity for students to improve their mental health and well-being through exercise or a recreational activity. Students who are using services at the Student Wellness Centre, are experiencing anxiety or depression, and are currently not engaged in recreational activity or exercise can be referred through their counsellor, physician, or the mental health nurse.

More Feet On the Ground

This online mental health education program teaches you how to recognize, respond to, and refer individuals experiencing mental health issues on Laurier’s campuses. Completion of this program is eligible for recognition on the Wellness Education Certificate and the Laurier Experience Record.

SAFEHawk App

SAFEHawk is a free app for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices that connects you to telephone helplines such as Good2Talk, Here 24/7, and other community-based mental health resources in Waterloo Region, Brantford and Toronto.